THE    AMKHIGAN    R^LIKP    ADMINISTRATION 
IN 


CZECHO-SLOVAKIA. 
1921. 


W'^m 


The 
American  Relief  x\d ministration 

In 

Czecho-Slovakia 


A  SKETCH   OF   THE  CHILD -FEEDING 

OPERATIONS  OF  THE  A.R.A.  MISSION 

TO  CZECHO-SLOVAKIA,   1919-1921 

PRAGUE,  CZECHO-SLOVAKIA 
DECEMBER,  1921 


The  American  Relief  Administration 
42  Broadway,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


14;i^l^:' 


yWrVERSITY  o!  CALIFOF^'!?' 

LOS  ANi..-  i.v... 


^  VAV 

C  3^ '  5 

A  Sketch  of  the  Work 
"^  of  the  American  Rehef  Administration 

T  in  Czecho-Slovakia,  1919-1921 

Q 


m^  Contents 

V 


I.     Conditions  Following  the  Armistice. 

k  1.     Political  Dismemberment  and  Economic  Disintegration. 

^  2.     Crop  Shortages  and  Food  Conditions. 

3.     Birth  and  Mortality  Rates. 

II.     What  Has  Been  Done. 

1.  Child  Feeding  and  Clothing. 

2.  Food  Remittances. 

3.  Commonwealth  Fund  Gift  for  Intellectuals. 

4.  Student  Relief. 


^ 


III.     What  Needs  to  Be  Done, 
IV.     Proposed  Legislation. 


I     Conditions  Following  the  Armistice 

1.     Political  Dismemberment  and  Economic  Disintegration. 

The  close  of  the  Great  War  witnessed  the  political  dismemberment  and  the  break- 
up of  the  economic  solidarity  of  the  Austro-Hungarian  Empire.  The  Empire,  as  has 
frequently  been  pointed  out,  was  an  economic  unit  and  self-sustaining  in  the  essentials 
of  life.  Western  Austria,  Bohemia  and  Silesia  furnished  the  manufactured  goods, 
the  raw  materials  and  fuel;  the  Danube  plains  the  food;  and  the  Baltic,  Adriatic,  and 
Black  Seas  access  to  the  world  markets.  Among  the  provinces  there  was  free  trade 
and  exchange  of  food  from  the  country  for  manufactured  goods  from  the  town. 

Although  the  Empire  was  largely  spared  the  physical  destruction  of  war,  save  in 
Galicia,  the  wastage  of  five  years  incident  to  mobihzed  armies  sank  the  birth-rate  below 
the  death-rate,  spread  disease,  disrupted  ti'ansportation,  paralyzed  industry  and 
bi'ought  agricultural  production  to  a  dangerous  level.  The  accumulating  force  of  all 
of  these  evils  was  emphasized  and  aggravated  by  the  artificial  restrictions  to  transport 
and  trade  immediately  erected  by  each  of  the  six  new  nations  into  which  the  Empire 
was  divided.  The  former  economic  solidarity  was  completely  broken  and  within  each 
country  there  began  an  acute  struggle  for  existence  within  the  confines  of  its  own 
frontiers.  The  immediate  effect  was  the  debasement  of  the  common  currency;  the 
cost  of  living  mounted;  higher  wages  were  demanded;  and  the  process  of  inflation  began. 
Czecho-Slovakia  was  untouched  physically  by  the  ravages  of  the  war  save  in  a  minor 
degree  in  north-eastern  Slovakia  and  northern  Carpathian  Russia  and  later  in  southern 
Slovakia  during  the  invasion  of  the  Magyar  Bolsheviks.  But  when  the  economic  bonds 
which  so  closely  connected  her  with  other  provinces  of  the  Austro-Hungarian  Empire 
were  severed  the  repercussion  to  a  State  weakened  by  five  years  of  war  was  so  great 
that  society  all  but  collapsed.  Paralysis  of  transport  and  trade,  scarcity  of  food  and 
clothing,  coupled  with  prices  up  to  1500  per  cent,  above  pre-war  levels  and  enforced 
idleness,  brought  acute  misery  to  the  urban  population  and  was  particularly  reflected 
in  the  physical  condition  of  the  children. 

S.     Crop  Shortages  and  Food  Conditions. 

Normally  Czecho-Slovakia  is  self-sufficient  in  essential  foodstuffs  although  the 
margin  of  necessary  bread  grains  is  close;  ordinarily  the  excess  of  rye  production  permits 
the  import  of  the  small  tonnage  of  wheat  necessary  to  meet  requirements.  The  wastage 
of  the  war  wiped  out  the  margin  of  safety  and  the  economic  disintegration  following 
the  cessation  of  hostilities  increased  the  food  demands — particularly  for  fats  and 
carbohydrates — beyond  the  powers  of  home  production.  The  harvests  of  1916,  1917, 
and  1918  showed  a  marked  and  continual  decrease  in  the  planted  areas,  in  the  yield 
per  hectare,  and  in  the  total  yield.  In  Bohemia  Moravia,  and  Silesia  the  yield  of 
1918  wheat  and  rye  fell  to  almost  50%  of  normal,  barley  to  one  third,  oats  to  46%, 
potatoes  to  45%,  and  sugar  to  80%. 

The  situation  demanded  not  only  foreign  relief  but  the  strictest  control  of  domestic 
supplies.  The  elaborate  war-time  machinery  of  food  control  was  of  necessity  continued 
by  the  new  Government.     Flour,  both  wheat  and  rye  and  mixtures,  sugar,  potatoes, 


Tolal  Crop  in  Thousands  of  Tons 

Bohemia-noravia-Silesia 


Ry« 


1400 


I2oo 


19o«t 
1915 


19m  15  16  1?  ^8  19  2o  21 


Ods 
Barl«Y 


looo 


Wheal 


Tola!  Crop  in  Thousands  of  Tons 

Bohemia -noravia-5ilesia 


igoif 


6600    1913 14  15  16  1?  -18  19  go  g1 


5ugar 

Porafoes 


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6ooo 

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5ooo 

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meat,  fats  and  milk,  were  rationed  and  control  maintained  in  varying  degree  until 
the  harvest  of  1921.  After  the  1920  harvest  the  Government  rationed  flour  on  a  basis 
of  yearly  income.  Flour  was  always  the  commodity  in  demand;  other  foodstuffs,  such 
as  sugar  and  meat,  seemed  to  be  obtained  in  sufficient  quantities  to  satisfy  needs,  while 
milk  and  for  a  long  time  potatoes  were  so  far  from  obtainable  as  to  be  beyond  con- 
sideration. 

Ordinarily  it  was  never  possible  to  draw  the  full  ration  even  though  it  was  below 
the  need  of  the  average  man.  Farmers  were  reluctant  to  deliver  their  grain  at  the  low 
price  of  Government  requisition.  The  illicit  trade  therefore  flourished  although  punish- 
able by  law.  The  average  urban  family  could  not  pay  the  prices  demanded  and  could 
do  little  to  combat  the  accumulative  results  of  malnutrition.  Early  in  1920  a  study  of 
the  dietaries  of  250  families  from  all  classes  and  engaged  in  all  manner  of  work  through- 
out the  Republic  was  made  by  the  Mission. 

(a)  In  relation  to  income:  Total  Number  of  Calories 

Weekly  Per  Cent.  Number  Per  Person  Average  Man  Per  Cent. 
Income  Spent  in  Per  Day  Per  Day  of  Normal 
in  Crowns  on  Food  Family  (Non-Producer)  (Producer)  (3300) 
85  90  7  1,960  2,333  70 
148  80  6  2,097  2,495  75 
230  75  5  2,387  2,842  86 
320  60  5  2,480  2,952  89 
420  55  5  2,489  2,858  86 
540  48  5  2,517  2,996  90 

Note. — Since  the  average  man   (producer)   requires  3,300  calorics  per  day,  each  person  (non-producer)  will  require  3,300  x 
0.84  or  2.862  calories  per  day. 

(b)  In  relation  to  occupation.  p^^,  (^^j^^.   ^f 

Weekly  Income      Number  Per  Per  Average 

Occupation  in  in  Person  Normal  Man 

Crowns  Family  Per  Day  (3300) 

Laborers 70  7  1,950  .59 

Coachmen 70  7  2,100  .63 

Servants 70  7  2,240  .67 

Small  Pensioners 85  5  2,216  .67 

Factory  Employees 160  7  2,290  .69 

Private  Clerks 200  6  2,105  .63 

Grade  Teachers 210  5  2,890  .  69 

Lesser  Govt.  Officials 250  6  2,360  .71 

Artisans 260  6  2,400  .72 

Small  Tradesmen 310  '6  2,460  .74 

Teachers 330  4  2,510  .77 

Physicians 480  5  2,935  .89 

High  Govt.  Officials 450  5  3,010  .91 

Miners 280  7  2,670  .  80 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  average  food  consumption  in  Czecho-Slovakia  as 

shown  by  food  survey  with  pre-war  consumption,  with  the  minimum  standard  of  the 

Commission  for  Relief  of  Belgium,  and  the  standard  of  the  Inter-Allied  Scientific 

Food  Commission. 

5 


ao.ooo    ^91^ 


15.O00 


I0.000 


5.000 


BLACK  COAL  PRODUCTION 

Jn  Thousands  of  Tons 
BOHEMIA-  MORAVIA-SILESIA 


IQ-IS 


^9^b 


-IQiF 


1Q18 


^^9 


^92o 


^92i 


PRE 

VAR 

\AVE 

RAGE 

"^ 

^^ 



25.000  J?:^ 


20000 


Ib.ooo 


I0.000 


BROWN    COAL    PRODUCTION 

Jn  Thousands  oF  Tons 

BOMEMIA-MORAVIA- SILESIA 


-1915 


^1916  -(917 


-1916 


-19^9 


192o  ^92i 


PRE- 

VAR 

AVERAQ 

E 

\ 

^ 

-^ 

^^^ 

^ 

Czecho- 

Czecho- 

slovakia 

slovakia 

1919-1920 

1914 

Protein 

67.7 

100.5 

Fat 

62.8 

11.3 

Carbohydrates 

470. 

646.2 

Caloric  Value: 

Average  Man .... 

2790. 

3920. 

Per  Head 

2322. 

3292. 

Commission  for     Inter- Allied 

Relief  in  Bel-    Sci.  Food  Com. 
gium,  Minimum       Standard 
71.6  100 

72.0  100 

434.5  500 


2842. 

2274. 


3400 
2856 


In  1918  and  continued  into  1919  and  in  part  to  1920  war  kitchen.s  were  feeding 
on  an  average  of  55%  of  the  population  in  towns  of  5,000  and  over,  in  the  following 
proportion : 

Workers  and  Artisans 44 .  86% 

Employees 19.82% 

Students 8.45% 

Officials  and  Teachers 26. 63% 

Tradespeople 24% 

100.00%, 
3.     Birth  and  Mortality  Rates. 

The  interruption  of  domestic  life  for  five  years  and  hardship  of  life  during  and 
following  the  War  is  strikingly  reflected  in  the  birth  and  mortality  statistics.  Each  year 
of  the  war  added  its  toll  of  misery  until  the  peak  was  reached  with  the  coming  of  peace 
at  the  close  of  the  year  1918.  P'or  the  ten  years  prior  to  1914  the  average  annual  excess 
of  births  over  deaths  in  Bohemia,  Moravia,  and  Silesia  was  42%. 

In  1914  this  excess  fell  to  37%. 

In  1915  deaths  exceeded  births  by  2.8%. 

In  1916  this  percentage  rose  to  35%. 

In  1917  this  percentage  rose  to  52%. 

In  1918  reached  the  shocking  figure  of  101%. 

In  that  year  there  were  more  than  twice  as  many  deaths  as  births! 

Such  was  the  general  situation  in  Czecho-Slovakia  at  the  close  of  the  War.  These 
conditions  dictated  imperative  and  immediate  need  for  relief.  As  one  measure  the 
American  Relief  Administration,  under  the  general  direction  of  Herbert  Hoover,  estab- 
lished a  child  relief  bureau.  In  April,  1919,  the  children's  relief  work  began  and  con- 
tinued through  the  harvests  of  1919,  1920  and  1921,  that  is,  until  September  1,  1921. 


II.     What  Has  Been  Done 

1.     Child  Feeding  and  Clothing. 

During  the  critical  post-war  years  and  until  the  harvest  of  1921  the  American 
Relief  Administration,  in  close  cooperation  with  and  assisted  by  the  Czecho  (iovern- 
ment  and  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite,  the  national  child  welfare  organization,  fed 
a  great  proportion  of  the  under-nourished  children.  A  great  quantity  of  clothing  was 
also  distributed  in  every  part  of  the  Republic.    In  this  work  the  local  Cesky  Cerveny 


3ooo 
290O 
28oo 

2600 

2400 

22oo 

2ooo 
l9oo 
13oo 
1?oo 
•16  00 

ie>oo 

-IHOO 

-1300 
Jndices 


^•■-..^. 

V,     

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•  contraband  or  free  trade 

'^.,                          Czechoslovakia 
N,               Rerail  Price  Jndices  1921 

^\                 July  191H-100 

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y' 

Jon  Feb  tlarf  April  May  June  July  Auq  Sept 


Average  Value  oF  the  Dollar  In  Czech-Crowns 


1oo 
90 

8o 
?o 
6o 
5o 
i«o 
3o 
2o 

10 
H925 


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n,IDQ.<OD335;>;OSnjQ;«Ja.(03D3(UOOQ)tOQ;IDQ.fD333a' 

zn<:c^'=^-<(/)0z:Qr^ij:sr<n'^'^'<inoz:O'^ii:j;<«c'=5'^<in 


1919 


1920 


1921 


Kriz,  Ceska  Komisse  pro  peci  o  mladez,  Deutsche  Bezirkskommission  fucr  Kinder- 
schutz  und  Jugendfuersorge,  Ochrana  matek  a  kojeneu,  Muetter  und  Sauglingsfuersorge, 
and  for  1920  Lady  Muriel  Paget's  Mission  in  Slovakia  were  of  great  assistance  in  dis- 
tributing the  food  and  clothing  allotted  to  them  by  the  American  Relief  Administration 
and  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite. 


Summary  of  Operations 
(April,  1919— August,  1921) 
Food  Contributed  by       Food  Contributed  by 


Cocoa 

Sugar 

Milk 

Flour 

Beans 

Rice 

Fats 

Cod  Liver  Oil .  . 

Corn  Grits 

Soap 

Chocolate 

Salmon 

Baking  Powder. 

TOTALS 


American  Relief 

Administration 

810,536 


Czech 
Government 


4,711,479 
800,427 
1,493,651 
1,219,250 
1,529,658 
36,729 

171,383 
16,642 
49,930 


10,839,685 


828,727 

427,666 

2,060,432 


188,779 


67,122 


30,000 
3,602,726 


Year 


1919. 
1920, 
1921. 


Months 

of 

Operation 

8 

12 


Children  Fed 
Average 
Number 


Total 

Weighted  Average . 


Kitchens 

Operated 

1,633 

1,902 

492 


9.3 


1,422 


Average 

Fed 

Daily 

243,883 

271,612 

97,502 


213,943 


Average 

Meal 

Grams 

89 

90 

108 


94 


Average 

Value 
Calories 

328 

331 

398 


349 


Total 

Metric 

Kilos 

810,536 

828,727 

5,139,145 

2,860,859 

1,493,651 

1,219,250 

1,718,437 

36,729 

67,122 

171,383 

16,642 

49,930 

30,000 

14,442,411 


Total 

Meals 

Served 

48,776,720 

81,483,627 

19,500,373 

149,760,720 
54,429,295 


Note.— 200  feeding  days  in  1919;  300  in  1920  and  200  in  1921.  Late  in  1920  the 
average  caloric  value  of  the  meals  was  raised  to  600  and  variety  in  the  dishes  introduced. 
The  following  weekly  menu  was  served: 

Monday  and  Thursday 

Rice-pudding — Portion  Y2  liter 

Rice 50  grams 

Milk 20  grams  (unsweetened) 

Sugar 10  grams 

Flour 10  grams 

Fat 7  grams 


9 


Roll — Portion  75  grains 

Flour 50  grams 

Fat 6  grams 

Sugar 5  grams 

Tuesday  and  Friday 

Bean-soup — Portion  \2  liter 

Beans 62 . 5  grams 

Milk 20      grams  (unsweetened) 

Flour 10      grams 

Fat 7.5  grams 

Roll — ^Portion  75  grams 

Wednesday 

Cocoa-pudding — Portion  3^  liter 

Cocoa 12.50  grams 

Milk 60        grams  (unsweetened) 

Sugar 32 .  50  grams 

Flour 15         grams 

Roll — Portion  75  grams 

Saturday 

Cocoa — Portion  3^^  liter 

Cocoa 10  grams 

Sugar 20  grams 

Milk 45  grams  (unsweetened) 

Roll — Portion  75  grams 

Highest  number  under-nourished  children  during  critical  period  April,  1919,  to 
April,  1920,  estimated  at  600,000.  Of  this  number,  and  during  this  period,  the  American 
Relief  Administration  and  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite  fed  a  daily  average  of  310,120, 
or  52%,  and  reached  a  peak  of  83%,  or  496,470,  daily  in  March,  1920. 

Clothing  contributed  by  the  American  Relief  Administration  and  distributed 
by  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite  was  as  follows: 

Boots  Stockings  Overcoats 

Bohemia 62,201  59,714  62,291 

Moravia 23,224  22,000  23,224 

Silesia 5,224  4,800  5,224 

Slovakia 7,300  7,000  7,300 

Institutions 112  286  15,593 

98,061  93,800  113,632 

In  May  and  June,  1921,  after  two  years  of  feeding,  a  careful  medical  survey  was 
made  of  over  50,000  school  children  feeding  in  Bohemia,  Moravia  and  Silesia;  in  Prague 
and  Brno;  in  18  cities  of  population  over  20,000;  in  21  cities  over  10,000;  and  in  13  cities 

10 


under  10,000.     Examinations  were  also  made  in  11  cities  in  Slovakia  and  in  10  cities 

in  Carpathian  Russia. 

The  results  proved   illuminating.     Malnutrition  has  been  largely   arrested   but 

symptoms  (anaemia,  scrofula,  rachitis,  tuberculosis,  etcetera),  are  present  to  a  distressing 

degree  among  a  large  number  of  school  children.    The  following  table  gives  a  summary 

of  the  results  of  this  survey :  n     ^     .  ^ 

Fer  Cent  Percentage 

No.  School    ' N 

City  Population                              Exam-  Children          Seriously  Sub- 

ined  Examined  Under-nourished  normal 

Class  I  (over  500,000) 4,694  3.5                  9  46 

Class  II  (over  100,000-300,000) ... .          6,176  14                     18  48 

Class  III  (20,000-100,000) 21,490  15                     15  50 

Class  IV  (10,000-20,000) 11,741  18                     14  53 

Class  V  (under  10,000) 4,298  22                      9  36 

2.  Food  Remittances. 

The  American  Relief  Administration  Warehouse  System  was  instituted  purely  as 
an  emergency  measure,  as  a  method  of  placing  food  at  the  disposal  of  adults  and  the 
general  population  at  a  time  when  the  scarcity  of  food  made  it  difficult  for  the  average 
person  to  buy  with  the  money  at  his  command.  Moreover,  it  was  unwise  as  well  as 
extremely  difficult  to  send  remittances  from  abroad  at  this  time  for  this  would  have 
made  additional  demands  on  scanty  local  supplies.  The  American  Relief  Administra- 
tion Warehouse  food  came  from  the  outside  and  so  did  the  money  that  paid  for  it. 
In  this  way  the  local  food  supply  was  increased  and  no  demands  were  made  upon  local 
currency.  During  the  period  of  operation  in  Czecho-Slovakia,  from  early  in  1920  until 
July,  1921,  when  the  system  was  discontinued,  food  packages  to  the  value  of  over 
half  a  million  dollars  were  purchased  and  distributed  throughout  the  Republic  as  the 
gifts  of  friends  and  relatives  in  America. 

3.  Commonwealth  Fund  Gift  for  Intellectuals. 

The  "intelligentsia"  has  felt  more  keenly  the  change  in  economic  conditions  than 
any  other  class.  During  the  critical  post-war  years  this  was  particularly  true  of  the 
professoriate  of  the  Universities  in  Czecho-Slovakia — in  Prague  and  Brno  particularly. 
To  meet  this  situation  the  Commonwealth  Fund  of  America  allotted  to  the  Mission  the 
sum  of  $82,500  for  the  purchase  and  distribution  of  foodstuffs  to  needy  and  worthy 
intellectuals.  Under  the  leadership  of  the  Rectors  of  the  various  Czech  and  German 
Universities,  committees  of  professors  were  formed  and  selections  made  of  worthy 
cases.  To  these  were  given  packages  of  food  sufficient  to  carry  an  individual  for  an 
appreciable  period.  The  average  caloric  value  of  each  meal  provided  through  these 
packages  was  1,000. 

The  following  tabulation  shows  the  results :  Average  Value       Value 

Total  No.  of  Total         Per         Per  Per 

Amount  Beneficiaries     Meals      Person     Meal        Person 
1st  and  2nd  Distribution. .  .    $62,500         17,250         400,000        24         $.15  $3.62 

3rd  Distribution 20,000  2,420         145,200        60  .  137  8.26 

Note.— The  3rd  distribution  was  based  upon  the  family  as  a  unit  and  the  content  of  the  pacliage  increased. 

11 


BIRTHS    AND  DEATHS 

BOHEMiA-nORAViA-SiLESiA 


—  PEACE  — p 

-WAR — PEACE -j 

BiRTHS 

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DEATHS 

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4.     Student  Relief. 

In  the  spring  of  1921  the  American  Relief  Administration  in  cooperation  with  the 
European  Student  Rehef  Fund,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  gave  material 
assistance  to  students  in  the  Universities  of  Prague,  Brno  (Czech  and  German),  and 
Pribram.  The  change  in  economic  conditions  due  to  the  War  created  great  hardships 
for  the  student  class  and  their  numbers  had  greatly  increased  by  the  influx  of  refugees 
chiefly  from  other  Slav  countries. 

The  relief  work  for  the  University  students  was  greatly  simplified  through  the 
existence  of  student  mensas,  notably  the  Studentsky  Domov  of  Prague  University 
where  the  great  proportion  of  relief  has  been  given.  This  home,  with  its  superb  kitchen, 
a  gift  of  students  of  America,  and  under  the  direct  control  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  the 
Y.  W.  C.  A.,  proved  an  invaluable  adjunct. 

The  following  quantities,  valued  at  approximately  $25,000,  were  delivered  to  the 
students:  cocoa,  2,956  kilos;  sugar,  1,360  kilos;  milk,  16,903  kilos;  flour,  41,797  kilos; 
beans  or  rice,  10,751  kilos;  fats,  1,578  kilos;  salmon,  4,162  kilos,  a  total  of  nearly  80 
tons.  These  foodstuffs  permitted  a  meal  of  1,000  calories  a  day,  including  fats  and 
sugar  which  ordinarily  were  supplied  by  the  student  organizations  themselves. 

Student  Mensa  Opened  Closed      f'^j  Dually  '^lleds''' 

Prague  University— Studentsky  Domov. .  Mar.  15  July   16*        1,485          184,083 

Prague  University— Letna June  16  July   16*           286             6,869 

Pribram  Mining  Academy May    9  June  30             158             8,201 

Masaryk  University,  Brno May  20  July     2            573           25,207 

German  University,  Brno May    2  June  30            317           21,545 

*NoTB.— The  Studentsky  Domov  and  the  Letna   Mensas  remained  open  throughout  the  summer  and  on  an  average  800 
students  were  fed  daily  during  this  period. 

The  students  receiving  this  form  of  relief  represented  the  following  nationalities: 
Czecho-Slovaks  Magyars 

Germans  Bulgarians 

Ukrainians  Roumanians 

Russians  Poles 

Jugo-Slavs  Ruthemans 

III.  What  Needs  to  Be  Done 
The  object  of  the  A.  R.  A.  Mission  in  Czecho-Slovakia  has  been  to  aid  in  the 
reconstruction  of  economic  and  social  life  primarily  through  the  restoration  of  under- 
nourished children  to  health  that  they  might  become  useful  citizens  and  promote  the 
peace  and  welfare  of  the  new  state.  The  medical  records,  supplemented  by  the  opmions 
of  school  teachers  and  committee  members  in  daily  contact  with  the  children,  afford 
abundant  testimonv  that  in  large  measure  this  purpose  has  been  fulfilled.  But  it 
should  be  emphasized  that  in  this  relief  work  only  the  emergency  has  been  met.  1  he 
American  Relief  Administration  and  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite  have  finished  this 
emergency  work-a  relief  designed  to  keep  the  children  alive  until  the  country  was 
able  to  produce  sufficient  foodstuffs  for  its  own  support.    This  point  has  been  reached 

13 


with  the  harvest  of  1921,  but  surveys  show  that  the  evils  of  malnutrition  still  are  evi- 
dent. The  figures  reveal  that  the  results  of  the  War  on  children  are  more  far-reaching 
than  is  generally  supposed;  that  the  ill-effects  will  continue  throughout  this  generation 
and  may  be  reflected  in  the  next. 

A  continuance  of  feeding  on  the  present  restricted  and  voluntary  basis  will  not 
meet  the  problem.  There  is  needed  recogniiion  by  the  Government  and  by  the  people  that 
it  is  as  much  a  public  duty  to  provide  for  the  physical  development  of  the  child  as  for  his 
mental  development.  National  legislation  is  needed  providing  in  cooperation  with 
societies  and  municipalities  for  the  feeding  of  all  under-nourished  school  children. 

By  emphasizing  the  need  for  national  legislation  it  is  not  meant  to  imply  that  the 
National  Government  should  alone  be  carrying  the  burden.  As  Mr.  Hoover  well  puts 
it:  "The  child  problem  must  be  developed  out  of  the  conscience  of  every  separate  com- 
munity. Such  a  problem  cannot  be  solved  by  benevolent  dictatorship  or  the  central 
government.  The  solution  must  come  through  the  devotion  of  small  groups  in  every 
center,  spreading  thought  and  service  into  every  individual  home." 

The  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite  brought  together  in  1919  a  great  body  of  public- 
spirited  men  and  women.  "The  devotion  of  small  groups,"  such  as  these  operating 
throughout  the  Republic,  has  carried  the  children  of  Czecho-Slovakia  through  the 
critical  post-war  years.  The  wealth  of  public  opinion  that  this  body  represents  and 
the  value  of  its  services  should  be  preserved  for  the  future.  To  accomplish  this  purpose 
Parliament  has  been  asked  as  a  matter  of  public  economy  and  safety  to  make  perma- 
nent the  work  to  which  the  American  people  have  contributed  so  generously.  The 
law  which  has  been  proposed  follows : 

Proposed  Law  for  the  Feeding  of  School  Children 

IN  THE  Czecho-Slovak  Republic 

{Translated  from  the  Czech) 

In  order  to  provide  through  cooperation  of  the  Government,  the  districts,  local 

governments,  child  welfare  organization,  and  the  parents  of  school  children  for  the 

establishment,  maintenance,  and  administration  of  school  kitchens  for  the  feeding  of 

under-nourished  children;  to  provide  for  the  fulfilment  of  other  purposes  aiming  towards 

an  improvement  of  the  health  and  social  conditions  of  children;  to  provide  for  an 

organization  which  will  carry  on  the  work  of  the  American  Relief  Administation — 

Hoover  Mission — in  cooperation  with  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite. 

I. 
The  Ministry  of  Public  Health,  with  the  cooperation  of  the  Ministry  of  Social 
Welfare,  Education  and  National  Culture  and  Food  Supply  through  the  Czecho- 
slovak Pece  o  Dite,  and  with  the  assistance  of  other  organizations,  be  empowered  and 
authorized  pursuant  to  Article  2  of  this  Act: 

(1)  To  establish,  maintain  and  operate  kitchens  for  the  feeding  of  insufficiently 
nourished  children  in  schools  and  elsewhere  and  to  issue  such  orders  which  it  deems 
necessary  for  their  efficient  administration. 

(2)  To  examine  from  time  to  time  the  health  and  social  conditions  of  the  children 

in  the  Czecho-Slovak  Republic,  to  determine  the  extent  and  degree  of  the  consequences 

of  malnutrition  and  to  obtain  information  which  in  the  judgment  of  the  ministers  is 

necessary  to  carry  out  this  Act. 

14 


(3)  To  establish  or  support  institutions  giving  a  sufficient  professional  training 
in  matters  of  nutrition  and  related  subjects  to  such  persons  who  wish  to  serve  in  organi- 
zations this  Act  provides  for. 

II. 

The  head  office  of  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pecc  o  Dite,  as  the  successor  of  the  American 
Relief  Administration — Hoover  IVIission — shall  be  authorized  to  carry  out  the  pro- 
visions of  this  Act.  The  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite,  with  all  its  present  privileges,  shall 
work  under  the  support  of  the  Ministry  of  Health  as  the  auxiliary  office  of  said  Min- 
istry, as  far  as  the  execution  of  this  Act  (and  of  all  its  provisions  and  rules)  is  concerned, 
that  is,  that  the  central  administration  will  be  done  as  heretofore  by  the  Headquarters 
at  Prague  and  the  work  in  the  various  territories  (districts  and  municipalities)  by  the 
organizations  existing  within  these  districts;  namely,  the  Czech  and  German  district 
Commissions  for  child  welfare,  Czech  and  German  local  organizations  for  the  care  of 
mothers  and  children,  local  organizations  of  the  Czecho-Slovak  Red  Cross  and  others 
who  have  authorizations  from  the  Ministry,  assuring  them  a  full  autonomy  in  the 
accounting  and  material  departments  of  their  own  organizations. 

III. 
The  expenses  incurred  in  carrying  out  this  Act,  including  the  administrative 
expenses  of  the  Czecho-Slovak  Pece  o  Dite,  shall  be  borne  in  equal  division  by  the 
state  and  the  various  districts  participating  in  the  benefits  of  this  Act  in  such  way  that 
the  subvention  of  the  Government  contributed  to  obtain  the  purpose  as  stated  in 
Article  I  of  this  Act;  be  it  either  in  money,  or  goods,  or  in  services  shall  in  no  case 
exceed  the  total  of  money,  goods  or  services  contributed  towards  the  purpose  of  Article 
I  of  this  Act  by  organizations  within  same  district,  be  said  funds  of  the  district  raised 
by  the  sum  total  of  the  districts,  municipalities,  cooperating  organizations,  parents  of 
the  children  or  by  anybody  and  under  whatever  conditions.  Provided  above  be  ful- 
filled, the  Minister  of  Public  Health  is  authorized  to  withhold  cooperation  whole  or  in 
part  from  districts  which  do  not  comply  with  the  requirements  given  within  this  law. 

IV. 

For  the  fiscal  year  ending  December  31,  1922,  there  is  hereby  appropriated  a  credit 
of  Kc.  7,000,000— which  was  set  aside  in  the  state  budget  for  1922  in  Chapter  24  tit.  H., 
Article  I  for  expenses  of  cooperation  with  the  A.  R.  A.  E.  C.  F. 

V. 

This  law  shall  come  into  force  on  the  day  of  its  publication.  It  shall  be  carried 
through  by  the  Ministry  of  Public  Health. 


A.  R.  A.  Mission  to  Czecho-Slovakia— 1921 

Arthur  C.  RiNGLAND Chief  .  .^ ^l"^' \l]?^    c    .moi 

James  V.  Foley A.  R.  A.  Warehouses       .  Mar.  1920-Sep  .    92 

Joseph  W.  Rice Inspector Jan.     921-Sept.    92 

IvAR  William  Wahren Inspector June  1920-Sept.  1921 

Ivan  H.  Baird Secretary May  1920 

Harold  M.  Fleming Assistant Aug.  lyiii 

15 


Former  Members  of  the  Mission  to  Czecho-Slovakia 


John  Charles  Miller,  M.  D  .  .  .  Chief Oct. 

Joseph  T.  Shaw Chief Aug.- 

LoRiN  A.  Clark Accountant Aug.- 

Miss  Dorothy  Geberding Dietitian Aug. 

C.  Hanbury Accountant Sept. 

Raymond  A.  Kleindienst Inspector Oct. 


Vale  H.  McGuire Inspector. 

Francis  J.  Murphy A.  R.  A.  Warehouses. 

Will  Shafroth A.  R.  A.  Warehouses. 

Thomas  M.  Temple Inspector 

Prentiss  M.  Terry Inspector 

Dan  M.  Walker Inspector 


Apr.- 
Feb.- 
Jan.- 

Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 


1920- 
— Sept, 
-Sept, 
1919- 
1919- 
1919- 
-Aug. 
-Mar. 
-Nov. 
1919- 
1919- 
1919- 


-Jan.  1921 

1919 

1920 

-Oct.  1920 
-Mar.  1920 
-Aug.  1920 
1920 

1920 
1920 

-Aug.  1920 
-Jan.  1921 
-July   1920 


Czecho-Slovak  Child  Welfare  Organization 

(Pece  o  Dite) 


National  Committee 

Honorary  President 
Dr.  T.  G.  Masaryk,  President  of  Czecho-Slovakia 

Honorary  Vice-Presidents 

Vlastimil  Tusar,  Dr.  Karel  Kramar, 

President  of  the  Council  Ex-President  of  the  Council 

President 
Dr.  Alice  Masaryk,  President  of  the  Czech  Red  Cross 


Dr.  Eduard  Benes, 

Minster  of  Foreign  Affairs 

Dr.  Ivan  Derer, 
Minister  of  Slovakia 

Dr.  Karel  Englis, 
Minister  of  Finances 

GusTAV  Habrman, 
Minister  of  Education 

Rudolf  Hotowetz, 
Minister  for  Foreign 
Commerce 


Members 

Antonin  Johanis, 
Minister  of  Food 

Dr.  Alfred  Meissner, 
Minister  of  Justice 

Karel  Prasek, 

Minister  of  Agriculture 

Kunes  Sonntag, 

Minister  of  Commerce 

Frant.  Stanek, 

Minister  of  Post  and 
Telegraphs 

JiRi  Stribrny, 

Minister  of  Railways 

16 

142179 


Dr.  Vavre  Srobar, 
Minister  of  Hygiene 

Ant.  Svehla, 

Minister  of  Home  Affairs 

Dr.  Boh.  Vrbensky, 
Minister  of  Public  Works 

Dr.  Lev  Winter, 

Minister  of  Social  Care 

Dr.  Markovic, 

Minister  of  National 
Militia 


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